Manufacturing · Mapleton, IL

Caterpillar INC.

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Caterpillar INC. ranks #235 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 41 violations across 23 inspections.

Top 1% by penalty51% serious
$308,776
OSHA penalties
41
Violations cited
23
OSHA inspections
#235
of 99,447 penalized employers

Caterpillar INC. in Mapleton, IL has been the subject of 23 OSHA workplace inspections and 41 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $308,776. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Caterpillar INC. 23 times over 16 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 41 violations, averaging 1.8 per inspection. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #235 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top 1% of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 21 were classified as serious and 1 as willful - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Manufacturing industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs far above peers (8.9x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Safeway, INC. in Denver, CO is another manufacturing employer with 4 OSHA inspections on record and $306,848 in current penalties.

1.8
violations per inspection
51.2%
of violations were serious
#235
of 99,447 penalized employers

Compliance score

D 64/100
  • D OSHA safety compliance: 41 violations across 23 OSHA inspections (1.8 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.

Channels are separate federal datasets: a dimension marked not applicable simply has no record in that dataset for this employer, not a good or bad score.

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How Caterpillar INC. compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Manufacturing per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Caterpillar INC. runs far above peers (19.6x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

Where this penalty ranks nationally

Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty

$308,776 Bottom 1% least affordable more affordable than 0% of 99,447 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 43,959 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,304 U.S. employers with a penalty (20%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,027 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,546 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,175 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,877 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,036 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,493 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,095 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 785 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $50,000+: 5,150 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). This entry ($308,776) is well above this band, the chart's rightmost open-ended bucket. This employer: $308,776 $0 $55,000+ every penalized U.S. employer, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. employers with a penalty. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts · 2026

Does more inspection scrutiny mean more findings?

Each dot is one of 21 Manufacturing employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Caterpillar INC..

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both19.821.122.523.925.3026.553.079.4105.9OSHA inspectionsViolations citedBLUE DIAMOND STEEL C…, OSHA inspections: 23 · Violations cited: 101WELSPUN TUBULAR LLC, OSHA inspections: 23 · Violations cited: 90TESORO REFINING & MA…, OSHA inspections: 23 · Violations cited: 55CEMEX CONSTRUCTION M…, OSHA inspections: 22 · Violations cited: 79TESLA MOTORS NV, INC., OSHA inspections: 24 · Violations cited: 3EXIDE TECHNOLOGIES, OSHA inspections: 22 · Violations cited: 27MUELLER CO LLC, OSHA inspections: 22 · Violations cited: 45TYSON FRESH MEATS, I…, OSHA inspections: 24 · Violations cited: 54AUSTAL USA, LLC, OSHA inspections: 24 · Violations cited: 30MERCURY MARINE, OSHA inspections: 22 · Violations cited: 35FORMOSA PLASTICS COR…, OSHA inspections: 22 · Violations cited: 49HILMAR CHEESE COMPAN…, OSHA inspections: 22 · Violations cited: 15FOSTER POULTRY FARMS, OSHA inspections: 21 · Violations cited: 19PHILLIPS 66 COMPANY, OSHA inspections: 25 · Violations cited: 48CENTURY ALUMINUM OF …, OSHA inspections: 21 · Violations cited: 22VALERO REFINING COMP…, OSHA inspections: 21 · Violations cited: 35ROQUETTE AMERICA, INC., OSHA inspections: 21 · Violations cited: 78BRADFORD WHITE CORP, OSHA inspections: 21 · Violations cited: 20TIMKENSTEEL CORPORAT…, OSHA inspections: 20 · Violations cited: 55MENARD, INC., OSHA inspections: 20 · Violations cited: 68Caterpillar INC., OSHA inspections: 23 · Violations cited: 41
Caterpillar INC. has 23 OSHA inspections on record and 41 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Manufacturing peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Caterpillar INC. in the Manufacturing enforcement ledger

Among 35,243 Manufacturing employers with OSHA penalties on file, Caterpillar INC. ranks #146 at $308,776 current penalty.

How Caterpillar INC. Compares

Caterpillar INC.'s 1.78 violations per inspection compares to the Manufacturing sector average of 8.0 violations per employer.

Against the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs far above peers (19.6x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

23

First Inspection

2010-05-20

Last Inspection

2026-03-13

Inspection Span

16 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.8

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$13,425

Industry Avg / Inspection

$6,093

What this shows 23 inspections over 16 years, averaging 1.8 violations per visit. That's $13,425 per inspection vs. the Manufacturing average of $6,093.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

21

Serious

51.2% of total

1

Willful

2.4% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

19

Other-Than-Serious

46.3% of total

What this shows Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.

Enforcement detail

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed

$371,263

Current Penalty Amount

$308,776

Penalty Reduction

16.8%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $62,487 from the initial assessment of $371,263. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing

How Caterpillar INC. compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Caterpillar INC. Industry Avg
Inspections 23 2.6
Violations 41 8.0
Total Penalty $308,776 $15,763
Avg Penalty per Inspection $13,425 $6,093

Nationwide Manufacturing peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Caterpillar INC., both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Nearby & Similar Employers in Manufacturing

Showing 5 of 44644 other employers tracked in this sector.

Compare Caterpillar INC. vs Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Caterpillar INC.'s enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Caterpillar INC. against Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether Caterpillar INC.'s inspection and penalty record is typical for Manufacturing or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Manufacturing sector
  • Before you accept a job or raise a safety concern, search any employer for its own OSHA inspection history the same way you found this one. Search employers

Figures reflect closed OSHA and WHD federal enforcement actions on record (2010–2026); not every workplace issue results in an inspection or investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Caterpillar INC. safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Caterpillar INC.'s workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 41 violations across 23 inspections, including 21 serious violations. Compared to Manufacturing industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Caterpillar INC. have?
Caterpillar INC. has 41 OSHA violations on record, including 21 serious, 1 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $308,776.
How many OSHA inspections has Caterpillar INC. had?
Caterpillar INC. has had 23 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-05-20 and the most recent on 2026-03-13. This averages 1.8 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Caterpillar INC.?
Caterpillar INC. has been assessed $308,776 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $371,263 (a 16.8% reduction).
Does Caterpillar INC. have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Caterpillar INC. has 21 serious violations, 1 willful violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
What industry does Caterpillar INC. operate in?
Caterpillar INC. operates in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS code 331511). This industry has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 115,492 total OSHA inspections and $703.72M in cumulative penalties.
Where does Caterpillar INC. rank nationally on OSHA penalties?
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Caterpillar INC. ranks #235 (the top 1% of penalized employers nationally). The ordinal is a live COUNT of employers with a lower total_current_penalty; see the methodology page for the exact derivation.
How does Caterpillar INC.'s safety record compare to industry average?
Caterpillar INC.'s total OSHA penalty of $308,776 is above the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer (19.6x the average). The employer has 23 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, Safeway, INC. in Denver, CO is a similar manufacturing employer with $306,848 in current penalties.
Data Sources & Methodology

Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data

Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.

Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.

Employer Matching

Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.

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Every figure on PlainWorker is rendered directly from official U.S. Department of Labor OSHA and Wage & Hour Division enforcement records, no number is typed in by an editor. This employer's ratios (penalty-per-violation, industry comparisons) are computed live from the 23 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.